Confident: Ian Ritchie
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RFU CEO Ian Ritchie has rejected a proposal from the Welsh Rugby Union to play the Rugby World Cup group match between England and Wales in Cardiff.
WRU boss Roger Lewis suggested following Monday's draw that England might want to play their group clash in the "greatest stadium of the world", but Ritchie has declared that ahead of the upcoming £76 million investment on Twickenham Stadium, that the venue will be more than adequate.
"We have a very nice home of our own and I would hope very much we would contemplate playing the match here," said Ritchie.
"With our modest little stadium here at Twickenham, with the further investment we might be able to make it into a decent spot to play rugby.
"We equally believe we are very good hosts here and that we could hold a decent game here and would very much want to do that. Shock, horror and astonishment that I would suggest that!
"We will not get a better opportunity to inspire people to play rugby, be volunteers and participate in rugby.
"We are putting the building blocks in place to make sure we can take the most advantage of having the World Cup.
"The draw brings up all sorts of things about who plays where. There is another three months before we get to a conclusion on which venues we will select.
"How do we inspire the game around the country and who plays where? It is a complex matrix and as a member of the board we have a responsibility to look at the total competition."
Comments
Waz4before says...
a lovely bit of fun this one; I suspect the WRU were 'aving a laugh or what ever the welsh language equivalent is (Cael hwyl if google is correct?), and a nice response from Richie here. Wales would be smart to aim for Wembley for their big games (Oz and Fiji) assuming common-sense prevails and England play both of their major games at Twickenham which, contrary to what the WRU seem to think, is a damn fine stadium and the only compliant is its often not large enough to meet match-day demand, something the Millennium Stadium doesn't suffer from ;-)
Posted 04:09 05th December 2012
uglea says...
Sincero, hope you have heaps of daughters and they all marry welshmen. Might be that you and georgesmith share the same pen??
You're a goose mate, plain and simple
Posted 00:47 05th December 2012
Mayhem says...
@sincero, whatever your beliefs, curb the racism you clown. No place for it in rugby. I am of the firm opinion that a Welshman ran away with your missus! It's just mind games, nothing more but my god did it drag the bile out of individuals like you!
Posted 23:28 04th December 2012
Bones7 says...
As a Wales fan I feel a little bit embarrassed that they would even attempt such a brazen blag! 'Why don't you come over to our place? There's plenty of room and you'll want a break with so many popping over'
Posted 21:26 04th December 2012
pw29uk says...
It's a wind up you lot are so precious!!!!
Posted 20:58 04th December 2012
Dafydd29 says...
Are the English THAT scared of playing Wales? If they believed in themselves does it matter where they play???
Posted 20:25 04th December 2012
liam2me says...
What a stupid thing to suggest from the WRU
Posted 18:33 04th December 2012
Chinstan says...
I'm assuming that this is the WRFU chancing their arm which is fair play sure we'd do the same. Love the tongue in cheek response from Ritchie, hilarious! That said if the World Cup board rule in Wales favour that would be a complete disgrace and it would be blo*dy typical for that to happen!
Posted 18:17 04th December 2012
kybone says...
sirtidychris- Did NZ use Twickenham in the 1987 WC?
I suppose Wales were just trying their luck. No harm in that. But the game was never going to be played in Cardiff!
Posted 18:13 04th December 2012
scarletsweapon says...
Frooschman u douche bag if it was not for us welsh u wouldnt of got the world cup ! now wrap up !!
Posted 18:01 04th December 2012
Sincero says...
You've got to laugh at the Welsh. They're offering to have England as guests in their own tournament in a stadium that English charity money built, and they note that the council and the phony pseudo parliament will put forward some dosh, BOTH of which the English are actually paying for themselves!!! what a magnanimous gesture ! still part of the UK? am sure the tax-payers there realise that, Wales, as you call daily, begging bowl in one hand, cap in the other. You're not a nation at all, you've been at this for 7 centuries, and technically it'd be a home game for the XV of the Rose as Wales is the principality of western England, and you're circuitously sending them the bill anyway, while keeping the profits, so why not???? invertebrate parasites.
Posted 17:51 04th December 2012
astrospange says...
Why would the host nation want to play in a different country when it has one of the best stadiums in the world and where most international teams like playing?
Posted 17:48 04th December 2012
Sincero says...
The Welsh are only using this as a chip to get to play the Wallabies there, and perhaps a QF... neither should be the case. The Welsh have piggy-backed in their English-built stadium to wangle home advantage for themselves far too often. Why allow the parasites get away with this? No home games for the lowly taff.
Posted 17:47 04th December 2012
APV1 says...
Thank you.
Posted 17:40 04th December 2012
heathy says...
I'm sure that was a cheeky punt from Roger Lewis (although I'm also sure he was deadly serious about doing it) ha ha. Did he really think we would say "oh, okay then, that sounds like a nice thing to do and a good idea!"? Like hell, would we. Er, England are holding the World Cup but we would play Wales (rivals not only in the group but in rugby generally) in the Millennium Stadium at the home of Welsh rugby???? He's having a laugh. I love the comment "With our modest little stadium here at Twickenham, with the further investment we might be able to make it into a decent spot to play rugby". Priceless. Wales think they have the greatest stadium 'in the world'. Hey, I live in Cardiff (even though I'm English) and it is a fantastic place to watch rugby as it is smack bang in the middle of town. There are very few (if any) places like it. It is a great stadium but to say it is the greatest stadium though is pushing it big time. There are many fantastic stadiums with Twickenham being one. A great try Mr Lewis and a great repost Mr Ritchie.
Posted 17:39 04th December 2012
sanka69 says...
@Frooschman Again hear hear to that as well, completely agree!
Posted 17:06 04th December 2012
atg77 says...
Hardly surprising, they would never willingly give up home ground advantage. Having said that, it doesn't make the game a "given" for England.
Posted 16:55 04th December 2012
jontheref says...
frooschman
It is because England RU did not make the bid on their own.
If they had, giving up the use of the MS, and an injection of cah from the Welsh assembley, they should have bid on their own!
of course, they may not have been successful then!
Nice response, "we have a nice home of our own".
Just gamesmanship.
Ritchie and Lewis are just winding each other up.
And half of england as well by the looks of it!
Posted 16:54 04th December 2012
LondonWasp says...
THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted 15:36 04th December 2012
Frooschman says...
Personally I'm disgusted that any games will be held outside this country. If Wales want the RWC then they should bid for it. This is an English tournament and we have numerous suitable stadia. I don't see why Wales should benefit from home support against any team in a tournament that isn't being held in Wales!
Posted 15:33 04th December 2012